How do I get an operating system for my HP ProBook 640 G1

[dave1112569]

product F4L93AW#ABA,  My computer was purchased second hand and does not have an operating system. How do I get one

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

That depends on whether or not your notebook has a Windows 8 product key in the BIOS.

Some 640 G1's came with no OS and some came with W8 Pro which would have a product key in the BIOS.

Some also came with W8 standard, but I think W8 Pro was more common.

I am going to give you a free way to install Windows 8.1 Pro by using the W8 product key in your notebook's BIOS if the key is present.  You cannot simply go into the BIOS and see the Windows product key showing.

Install W8.1 by creating the Microsoft installation media, using another Windows PC, since yours is not working...You want W8.1 Pro 64 bit.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation process, use this generic key.

This is the generic key for W8.1 Pro.

XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

When you get to the screen that asks, 'Where do you want to install Windows,' delete every partition on the hard drive if there are any, leaving just one partition of unallocated space. Click Next, and W8.1 should begin to install.

If you had to enter the generic key, manually change the generic product key to the W8 key in your PC's BIOS in the PC settings menu.

After you get W8.1 installed, and you had to manually enter the W8.1 generic product key, you will need to run the free utility I zipped up and attached below, that will show you show the W8 product key in your PC's BIOS.

I have also zipped up and attached below, the Microsoft tool which hopefully will transfer the ISO file to a DVD or USB flash drive, so it is bootable, or you can use a free utility such as Rufus to create a bootable USB installer.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Then you can install the available drivers and software from your PC's support page.

HP ProBook 640 G1 Notebook PC Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

If the showkey plus report indicates that your notebook has a Windows Standard product key, then go back, download the plain W8.1 ISO file and use this generic key instead.

334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

Since W8.1 goes out of support next month, you will probably want to take the free upgrade to W10.

Make a bootable W10 USB installation drive with the media creation tool.

Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

After the media has been created, do not boot from the media.

Open the flash drive in Windows explorer and double-click on the setup application you see in the list of files to begin the upgrade process.

You can go back to W8.1 within 10 days if things don't work right as long as you don't delete any of the upgrade files or the Windows.old folder.

Go back to Windows 8.1 - Microsoft Support